Species: Chaetodon sedentarius, Reef Butterflyfish

Chaetodon sedentarius Poey, 1860

Reef Butterflyfish

Body a strongly compressed oval disc; mouth small, at end of a short, pointed snout; cheek bone free and smooth; teeth long and slender, in bands of 5-6 rows on each jaw; dorsal fin XIII-XIV (front spines not elongated), 20-21; anal fin III, 17-19, 2nd anal spine longer than 3rd; rear edges of dorsal and anal fins bluntly angular; tail edge rounded; scales rough, covering dorsal and anal fins as well as head and body; lateral line in a high arch, incomplete (ends under dorsal fin), with 36-44 scales; with a large "axillary process" scale at the upper base of the pelvic fins.

Adult: upper head and body yellow, fading to white below; a black bar from nape through eye to lower edge of preopercle; a broad wedge-shaped black bar from soft dorsal down to soft anal; remainder of dorsal, anal and tail fins yellow. Juvenile: similar to adult but rear black bar starts under dorsal fin, a small black spot on soft dorsal.

Reaches 18 cm.

Lives on reefs.

Depth range: 0-172 m, usually below 20 m.

The Carolinas to Brazil.